Orville
N. Strachota passed away peacefully with his wife and family at his side
on Thursday, May 2, 2013. Orville was the seventh child, the first and
only son, born to Marie (nee Straub) and Simon Strachota on Nov. 14, 1919,
in St. Kilian. The day he was born, friends of Simon put a sign up saying
in German, “Ein sohn endlich” (“At last a son!”).

Orville grew up in St. Kilian. During grade school and high school he
helped out at the family business, Strachota’s General Store, Tavern and
Seed plant, run by his father. He attended Pio Nono High School in
Milwaukee where he first started his entrepreneurial spirit by selling Van
Heusen dress shirts to the priests and fellow students. Orville was a
boxer in high school and excelled in classes, especially math.

Orville attended Marquette University, majoring in business. The late
summer before his third year was the first time he traveled with his
father Simon to purchase locally grown clover seed. During that third year
at Marquette, a man who became a very good friend of Orville, Monsignor
Father Mack, drove to Marquette, informing Orville that his father Simon
had unexpectedly passed away. As the only son, Orville left Marquette in
1940 to help run the family business with assistance from his sisters.

While “crashing” a New Year’s Eve party in 1942, Orville met the
love of his life, Marie Weiss. They were joined in marriage on Oct. 21,
1944, at Holy Angels Church in West Bend. Their love and devotion to each
other has lasted over 68 years.

Orville and Marie purchased the family business in 1946. In 1955 Orville
decided to concentrate on the seed part of the business buying white and
red clover seed, and then transitioned into selling seed to farmers. From
this start as Strachota Seed, he turned a small seed business into
Dairyland Seed with research, production and sales in more than 20
countries. Orville eventually followed his father’s footsteps serving as
a director of The First State Bank of Campbellsport for many years. He
also served as a director for the B.C. Ziegler Company.

Orville had a deep and abiding Catholic faith. Praying the rosary was part
of his daily routine. Attending Mass regularly was very important to him.
He believed in higher education, sacrificing personally in order to
provide for a Catholic education for his six children. He was proud to
have each of his children graduate from Marquette University or the
University of Notre Dame. Orville enjoyed fishing and every year he would
take his family to northern Wisconsin. In 1968, he was able to fulfill a
dream by having a home built “Up North” on his favorite lake, Lac
Vieux Desert.

Orville was also a big sports fan. Everyone learned not to interrupt him
or engage in idle chit-chat during a Packers or Notre Dame football game
or a Marquette basketball game.

Orville and Marie enjoyed traveling. For many years they were able to
avoid the Wisconsin winters by travelling to Maui and enjoying the
Hawaiian Islands.

Orville is survived by his wife of 68 years, Marie. He is also survived by
his six children, Suzanne, Jane (Fred) Wade, Steve (Sharon), Mary Kay, Tom
(Patty), and John. He is furthered survived by his eight grandchildren,
Matthew (Allysa), Mandi, Elizabeth (Peter) Benz, TJ (Katie), Maggie,
Kathleen (Fiancé Andy Kohl), Tom Wade and Michael Wade. He is also
survived by four great-grandchildren, Kilian Strachota, Sophia and James
Benz, and Lauren Strachota. He is further survived by his brother-in-law
Joe (Maybelle) Weiss, sisters- in-law Suzie Weiss and Clara Weiss, other
relatives, and friends, including his good friend, Chris Hansen.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 6 p.m. at Holy Angels Catholic
Church (138 N. Eighth Ave. in West Bend) on Monday, May 6, 2013.
Visitation will be held at the church from 3-6 p.m. on Monday, May 6,
2013. Interment will be held at 11 a.m. at Holy Angels Catholic Cemetery
on Tuesday, May 7, 2013. Memorials may be made to the Holy Angels School
Trust Fund or to a charity of the donors choosing.

Special thanks to the staff of Cedar Bay East for all their support and
assistance.

The Phillip Funeral Home of West Bend is assisting the family; (262)
338-2050 / www.phillipfuneralhome. com.